Briefs
Gender Equity Blueprint
The Sex discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, launched the 2010 Gender Equity Blueprint at Canberra's Press Club on 23 June. She spoke passionately about the issue, stating that for all our achievements in this area, "there remains a major gap between women and men, and there's still a long way to go."
For instance, one in three Australian women experiences physical violence in her lifetime; nearly one in five Australian women experiences sexual assault in her lifetime; and in 2009, violence against women and their children cost the Australian economy an estimated $13.6 billion. The Gender Equity team identified five areas of concern for the blueprint: balancing paid work with family and caring responsibilities; ensuring women's lifetime economic security; promoting women in leadership; preventing violence against women and sexual harassment; and strengthening laws pertaining to gender equity.
Under these five areas are 12 Recommendations, for example, 1.2 making flexible work an accepted part of Australian workplace culture and 3.1 lifting the voices of women in civil society. The first of the Recommendations 1.1 has already been achieved: Improving the Paid Parental Leave Scheme.
The Gender Equality Blueprint can be found on the Australian Human Right Commission's website.
Paid Parental Leave scheme
From 1 January next year a new national scheme will enable parents to receive paid parental leave. The scheme means that new parents will be able to access 18 weeks of government-funded parental leave pay at the National Minimum Wage ($570 per week).
It will apply for all eligible parents of children born or adopted on or after 1 January 2011. Parents will need to meet a simple work and income test to be eligible. The Government aimed to achieve a the balance by providing this important new entitlement for Australian families, without imposing a burden on employers.
For more information on the Paid Parental Leave scheme, please click here.
Paid Parental Leave also builds on the Government's commitment to help families out with the household budget, through:
The many people who have been campaigning for the scheme for a long time are very happy.
Penny Wong praises local councils
At the National General Assembly last week, Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water, addressed how communities cope as climate change gets worse. She complimented local councils on having shown leadership in this area and went further, acknowledging that many show more foresight and responsibility than other levels of government.
"Climate change is not a matter of belief. It is a matter of scientific evidence," she said, then pointed out that the evidence shows that it is 90 per cent certain that we have caused it.
With the increasing number and severity of sudden storms, heatwaves and wind storms it is evident that we need more emergency management. The Government has developed two new techniques to deal with this: the Pilot Coastal Inundation Visualisation tool - which is for local government use, to predict which areas will be submerged, according to different scenarios. Councils can plan with it.
The second innovation the government has developed is a program to enable councils to use less water in future, the Water Savings Initiatives. The Government has earmarked $1 billion for future water needs in towns and cities. Senator Wong ended by addressing the many questions from the audience and reiterating the fact that in coping with climate change, partnerships are imperative.
Dire demographic predictions questioned
The key note speaker at this year's National General Assembly, Kerry O'Brien, spoke eloquently about the themes of Population, Productivity and Participation. Speaking about the predictions of huge population increases for Australia in the coming decades, he explored the pressing question: how will we sustain our way of life and our standard of living, given the pressures of population increase?
He spoke about the shrinking tax base which will result from an ageing population and addressed the obvious consequence of that: who will fund the retirement of this section of the demographic? He also alluded to the potential breakdown of social cohesion and the increasing pressures on the environment because of the predicted demographic trends.
Later in the day, however, demography expert Peter McDonald questioned the assumptions that lie behind predictions of huge population growth. In a thought provoking talk he assured us that the prediction of 36 million by 2050 was subject to considerable change. He also showed figures demonstrating that migration does not cause unemployment and mounted a persuasive argument that we need migration to meet the demand for labour. He presented convincing evidence that migration is part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Kerry O'Brien, moving on to climate change in his wide-ranging and stimulating talk, said that the economics of water will determine where the people will be living. In his opinion, it looks as if the decentralisation policies begun by the Whitlam government in the 1970s are what the nation needs now. Concluding, Kerry O'Brien said that after 45 years of journalism he is still happy to explore questions like those above without having to come up with solutions. He leaves the answers to the politicians and others involved in policy.
The National Compact: working together
On 14 June 2010 the Governor General announced the Queen's Birthday 2010 Honours List, recognising and honouring the many Australians who have made a significant difference to their communities. The majority of those granted awards are individuals who have made tireless contributions in a range of fields across the Third Sector.
Amongst those honoured was National Compact Partner, Mr Bruce Phillip Bonyhady, awarded with an Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division. Mr Bonyhady is President of Philanthropy Australia, the national peak body for philanthropy. Based in Melbourne, Mr Bonyhady was awarded for his contributions to the community through a range of charitable organisations, as well as his service to people with disabilities, their families and carers. In particular, his role as Chairman of Yooralla was highlighted, as one of Victoria's oldest and largest non-profit community service providers supporting children and adults with disabilities.
A fellow Melbournian, Mr Robert Trenberth, was honoured for his service through advisory roles in emerging manufacturing and research enterprises to a range of not-for-profit organisations. Mr Michael William Traill of Roseville NSW was also awarded for his contributions to the not-for-profit sector through development and implementation of effective financial systems and mentoring, and as a facilitator for social change.
For the full Honours list please click here.
The people mentioned above are at pages 3 and 8.
The 2010 National Disability Awards are now open!
If you have made, or if you know someone who has made, a significant contribution to their community either at a local, regional, state or national level, tell us about it by nominating for the 2010 National Disability Awards.
Information on how to nominate is available on the National Disability Awards page.
Coalition to have a transparent budget process
A Coalition Government will introduce two reforms, including the establishment of a new Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO). The PBO will be independent and will enhance the transparency and accountability of the budget process. It will be well resourced and provide objective and impartial advice and analysis across the parliament on the Commonwealth budget and budget cycle, including the impact of major policy announcements.
The PBO will be headed by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, and the new Budget body will be accountable to the Parliament rather than the Executive, much like the Auditor-General or Commonwealth Ombudsman.
The Coalition will also strengthen the requirement that 'value for money' be considered in the use of Commonwealth resources. We will add 'value for money' to the definition of 'proper use' of Commonwealth resources in the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
This addition will give governments a greater legal obligation to seek value for money when spending public funds.
The Coalition will introduce legislation into the Parliament this week to give effect to these announcements.
Launceston recycles
Launceston City Council is leading the way in recycling by encouraging those attending events at Aurora Stadium to 'Do the Right Thing - Use the Right Bin'. 15 large signs have been installed around the ground to promote this message and highlight the location of the recycling bins.
The campaign is being undertaken in partnership with the Hawthorn Football Club, Packaging Stewardship Forum of the Australian Food and Grocery Council and Veolia Environmental Services.
Launceston City Council Acting Mayor, Frank Nott, said, "This is a great initiative to encourage people to think about the great results that can be achieved through the small changes they make .... Through the project, the Inveresk Precinct will become a fine example of what can be done to reduce our impact on the environment."
Hawthorn Football Club's Grant Birchall, who has endorsed the campaign, said, "This important recycling initiative is one small way we can all make a difference. I encourage all Tasmanians and footy supporters to go green and use the right bin at Aurora Stadium."
Packaging Stewardship Forum General Manager, Jenny Pickles, said that the recycling bins at Aurora stadium would encourage Australians to see how their collective actions can make a big difference to the environment.
Supporting Aboriginal communities
Indigenous men who are working to tackle family violence in their communities will receive almost $550,000 from the Australian Government to support their efforts. The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, said projects across Australia would share the funding for community-based intervention programs to tackle family violence.
"Many Aboriginal men have already demonstrated their willingness to speak out against violence and their determination to be positive role models for other boys and men. Through this funding, we are encouraging more Aboriginal men to reject violence in their families and communities," Ms Macklin said.
Speaking at the opening of the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conference in Adelaide, the Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, said the Government was committed to supporting Aboriginal men who were inspiring others to reclaim their roles as strong and caring fathers, partners, sons and brothers.
The funding includes support for:
- $73,000 for the Spirited Men's Project to conduct an Aboriginal Men's Gathering across South Australia and to purchase a bus to transport their regular program participants from Coorong, Kalparrin and Murray Bridge.
- $25,000 for an off-road camping trailer and equipment for the NPY Cross Border Project to help reach men in very remote communities in the cross border region of SA, WA and NT.
- $200,000 for the Tribal Warriors Association in Sydney to boost mentoring for young men and women to break the cycle of violence, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse and crime.
- $ 161,000 for the Men's Yarning Project to build community awareness and leadership against violence in the Langford area of WA.
- $40,000 to further develop a leadership program for young Aboriginal men in Victoria's east Gippsland region.
- $50,000 for the Meenah Mienne Mentor program in Northern Tasmania to run new training for community mentors working on alcohol, drug and family violence issues - including skills in conflict resolution.
Indigenous future leaders welcomed to Canberra
Indigenous students from across the country arrived at Parliament House on 21 June for a week of work experience with the Australian Government.
The Minister for Employment Participation, Mark Arbib, and the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, said that the Learn. Earn. Legend! Work Experience in Government program would host 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary students.
"These students are future Indigenous leaders in their communities and Australia," Senator Arbib said. "This week they will be inspired by the array of career opportunities that exist within Australian politics and the public service. Students will get to experience life in a political office, see the Australian Government in action, watch Question Time and tour Parliament House, before spending a day in public service agencies and departments."
Ms Macklin said the program will include tours of the National Gallery of Australia, the National Museum of Australia, the Australian War Memorial and the Australian Institute of Sport.
Senator Arbib said about 70 parliamentarians would host the students in their offices.
"I have been overwhelmed by the support for this program from all sides of politics, and very impressed with the calibre and enthusiasm of these young people," Senator Arbib said. "Learn. Earn. Legend! aims to encourage young Indigenous people to stay in school and training so they can gain great jobs and careers, and is part of the Australian Government's commitment to closing the gap on education and employment outcomes."
For further information on Learn. Earn. Legend! click here.
World Road Congress Mexico 2011 - Essay Competitions
The World Road Association (WRA) is conducting an international essay competition in conjunction with the Mexico Congress 2011.
The call for individual papers was made in April 2010 and the WRA technical committees will select those to be invited to prepare full papers from the abstracts received.
The technical committees will also recommend the best papers submitted to an International Jury which will determine the prize winners. Prizes in the international competition will be awarded to the best paper in each of seven categories:
- Young professionals (all authors less than 30 years of age);
- developing countries (authors from countries of low and lower-middle income);
- best innovation (Maurice Milne medal);
- safety of road users and road workers;
- sustainable development; and
- two prizes for outstanding papers addressing other issues.
For each paper selected for a prize, the WRA will pay travel and accommodation expenses and the fees of the Congress for one of the co-authors of the paper. Each prize is sponsored by a member country with Austroads sponsoring the Safety prize at the Mexico Congress.
All abstracts must be submitted before 31 August 2010.
For more information, or to submit an abstract online, click here.
The call for papers document can be found here
Austroads Essay Competition
Austroads is running a separate competition for young professionals who work for an Austroads member or observer organisation in conjunction with the international competition. Employees of councils are eligible through the ALGA membership of Austroads.
The Austroads competition will parallel the international competition. Austroads will invite papers from abstracts submitted to the international competition. An Austroads judging panel will judge the papers employing the same criteria as the International Jury.
To be eligible for the Austroads competition authors must be under the age of 30 (at 31 August 2010). A maximum of four authors may contribute to a paper and there will be one prize awarded from any topic. The prize is paid airfare, accommodation and Congress registration for one of the co-authors to attend the Mexico Congress. The winning paper may also be submitted by Austroads to the International Jury for consideration.
For more information please visit www.austroads.com.au.
Fix my street, please
Canberrans can report neighbourhood issues such as cracked footpaths, potholes and graffiti to the ACT government, using a newly extended service called Fix My Street.
Chief Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Jon Stanhope, said that the online service would help the Government improve its responsiveness to community issues.
"Fix My Street is a one-stop point for Canberrans to alert the Government to issues in their neighbourhood," Mr Stanhope said. "Graffiti, potholes, broken footpaths and grass mowing can be reported online at any time of the day. Canberrans can also use the service to track their request online."
To report a problem, Canberrans need to fill out a form, give a brief description of the problem and the location and click the send button. Users can identify the location via a clickable map and upload photos to accompany their report.
By registering for an account, users can also login to see the response from the Government and the progress on their request.
"Canberrans have, for some time now, been able to report neighbourhood issues through Canberra Connect and track their request online," Mr Stanhope said. "Over 20,000 people have already registered for an online account. Fix My Street is an extension of this service and makes it easier for Canberrans to report neighbourhood issues online."
Fix My Street can be accessed through www.act.gov.au and www.canberraconnect.act.gov.au.
Is the answer exercise or what you eat?
Is the western obesity crisis caused by physical inactivity or by an unhealthy diet? This is the question asked recently by the British Medical Journal. Some experts insist that inadequate cardio-respiratory fitness causes more disease than excess fat does. According to some statistics, an astonishing 95 per cent of UK and US people are not getting enough exercise. A recent Pfizer Australia/Sports Medicine Australia report suggests that 90 per cent of Australians play no organised sport nor indulge in physical activity.
However, some claim that exercise has negligible impact on obesity. David Gillespie, author of the compulsively readable Sweet Poison, offers extremely convincing evidence that our bodies' extraordinary efficiency 'means that increasing the amount of exercise we do is significantly less effective at reducing fat storage than consuming less energy in the first place' (p. 139). His research analysis concludes that exercising and dieting help us to lower our weight gain but it will always be a losing battle for as long as we continue to consume fructose. To burn off an extra 14 kg of body weight, we would need to run 7km every single day of the year.
'Staying thin in an environment where almost all food is now flavoured with fructose is like trying to row a canoe with a barbed-wire paddle. Exercise is good for you for all sorts of reasons, but losing weight shouldn't be one of the motivations.' (p. 145) (There is not the space here for a simple explanation of the complexities of sugars such as fructose; you'll have to read the book.)
Australian Health Survey
The Australian Health Survey - the most comprehensive study of Australia's health ever undertaken - will commence in 2011. It was announced in May 2010 as part of the Government's response to the National Preventative Health Taskforce's final report. For more information on the Survey email the Department aushealthsurvey@health.gov.au
Quote of the week
"It is my intention to lead a government that does more to harness the wind and the sun and the new emerging technologies. It is as disappointing to me as it is to millions of Australians that we do not have a price on carbon." - Julia Gillard, 24 June 2010
International news 
A study of more than 10,000 British civil servants has important implications for people doing too much overtime. According to Medical News Today, the research found that, "compared with people who did not work overtime, those who worked three or more hours longer than a normal, seven-hour day had a 60% higher risk of heart-related problems such as death". The Whitehall study began in 1985 and covered people from 20 different departments. One or two hours of overtime did not have the same risks.
Researchers speculated that the association between overtime and heart disease could be related to Type A behaviour ("aggressive, competitive, tense, time-conscious and generally hostile") or high blood pressure, often undetected because the person is too busy working to go to the doctor for a checkup, or chronic stress. Gordon McInnes, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Glasgow, commenting on the research, quoted Bertrand Russell: "If I were a medical man, I should prescribe a holiday to any patient who considers work important."
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